L5r - scroll 01 - The Scorpion

by Stephen D. Sullivan

  The murmurs turned to grunts of approval and sighs of relief.

  Kachiko ordered her palanquin brought forward, next to Shoju. "Were you wounded, Husband?" she asked, detecting in his carriage something no one else might notice.

  "Not to concern yourself with," he said, looking down at her carved box. He wished he could wrap her in his arms, but

  the situation would not permit it. His right arm twinged at the thought, and he resisted the urge to rub it.

  "Shall we move on, then?" she asked.

  Shoju nodded. "Yes." He waved for the retinue to continue their march.

  As the column fell into step, Bantaro rode up beside the daimyo.

  "This ogre is a bad omen, I think," he said. Fear lurked behind the shugenja's elaborate mask.

  "Nonsense," said the Scorpion daimyo. "If anything, it proves the rightness of our cause. The beast was sent to show us that the Demon Lord, Fu Leng, is very near."

  "That could be one interpretation," Bantaro conceded.

  Shoju snorted a laugh and rode ahead. Tetsuo joined him.

  Before lunch they linked up with Rumiko and the Scorpion's guard. The pyres of the dead scouts burned brightly, but did not abate the mist that still clung to the landscape.

  Shoju chose to continue riding the samurai-ko's horse so that his would have more time to recover from its bruises. Rumiko made no objection to walking, and even seemed honored by it.

  This, Shoju thought, is as it should be.

  xxxxxxxx

  After the battle with the ogre, the Scorpion retinue pressed on toward the Spine of the World Mountains.

  Along the way, they passed through Shiro no Shosuro and the jade walled city of Ryoko Owari Toshi. They paused at these places only long enough to replenish their supplies and replace their lost guardsmen.

  The passage through the Seikitsu san Yama no Oi Mountains went smoothly. The retinue followed the course of the River of Gold through the peaks, crossing over to the western bank near the castle of Shiro no Soshi.

  Soshi Bantaro had sent some of his people ahead, and the Scorpion daimyo and his retinue were greeted with full regalia by the people of the shugenja's land. Though Bantaro tried not to let it show, Shoju could tell that the old magician felt glad to return to his home.

  Bantaro was not so pleased to find Yogo Junzo—Shoju's master shugenja—waiting at the castle. "I thought," Junzo said to Bantaro and his lord, "you might need my services. The most perilous part of this journey lies ahead."

  Shoju accepted Junzo's offer, despite grumbling from Bantaro.

  On the next day, they left the Soshi castle and struck out through the mountains. Good weather made the passage less treacherous. The company soon emerged on the far side of the Spine of the World. The pass debouched across the river from Yama sano Kaminari, the Mountain of Thunders.

  This sacred mountain lay in Lion territory. Shoju's party had no desire to provoke a confrontation. Scorpion spies reported that the lord's retinue was being carefully watched by Lion scouts, and there had been considerable movement in the town at the base of the Lion castle, Kyuden Ikoma.

  The Scorpion carefully kept his retinue west of the river, unclaimed land between the holdings of the Lion and those of the Unicorn. The Lion forces seemed content to watch the wily Scorpion and avoid a showdown.

  Ahead lay the lands of the Dragonfly—who challenged all those who sought the Dragon. "The Dragonfly guards the Dragon's path," as the saying went. Shoju knew they would let him pass. His mission was just.

  On the second day after they left the mountains, the Scorpion retinue woke to an amazing sight. Fog had descended on the foothills during the night, painting the landscape in gray and white. The mist hung heaviest over the river and danced like ghosts atop the water. As the sun rose, the fog turned a brilliant white, like smoke. A strange sound came from the river. It was a soft regular sound, like waves lapping on a beach. The noise came closer. Soon it sounded like fish jumping out of the river at regular intervals.

  Many in the camp made their way to the water's edge and peered into the mist. What they saw sent them scurrying back. Some even screamed.

  The screams brought Shoju and Kachiko out of the daimyo's pavilion. The lord, a mask already on his face, wrapped his kimono about his waist and stuck swords in his obi. Kachiko pulled her robe tight against the chill of the morning.

  As a cry went up from the guard, Shoju raced to the river. Out of the fog, Tetsuo and Rumiko appeared at his side, both ready with their weapons.

  "Call out," Shoju bellowed to the guards on the perimeter, "what is it you see?"

  "A great beast, my lord," a sentry called back from the fog-shrouded distance. "Swimming upon the river." After a pause he cried, "I think it is a dragon!"

  THE WAV OF THE DRAGON

  The samurai beside Shoju gasped, but their drawn swords did not waver.

  Yogo Junzo dashed up, followed by Soshi Bantaro. The older of the two men fumbled with a scroll as he came. He seemed to be having difficulty putting on his clothes.

  "Could the guard be right?" asked Junzo.

  "We'll know in a moment," Shoju said.

  The samurai strained their eyes to see into the mist. Gradually a huge shape took form. Its face was blood-red, and as green as the deep sea, and gold. It had frightful fangs and horns. Its broad breast pushed the river apart as it came. Tongues of flame flicked across its back. It made hardly any sound as it moved through the water, only a soft, regular splashing.

  "A dragon!" Rumiko gasped.

  Bantaro dropped his scroll.

  The Lord of the Scorpions laughed out loud. "A dragon boat," he said. "It's a boat!"

  "I am glad to hear you have not lost your sense of humor, great lord," said a voice from the dragon's back. The form of the dragon ship resolved itself out of the mist. Shoju's diplomat, Bayushi Yojiro, stood at the prow.

  "How came you to ride such a beast?" Shoju called out.

  The dragon boat shipped its oars and glided gently to shore. Its bow had been cleverly carved to resemble the face of a real dragon; the flames along its spine were burning torches.

  As the dragon touched land, Bayushi Yojiro hopped ashore. He was a young man, spry, and fair of face. His kimono had been expertly tailored and impeccably trimmed. He bowed low before the Scorpion daimyo.

  "I sought the Dragon, as you bade, Shoju-sama," Yojiro said. "But they found me first. It seems the Great Dragon knew of your plans to visit almost before you did. He has sent this ship to meet you and bear you the rest of the way to his hidden palace in the mountains."

  Yojiro looked back along the gunwale, where a figure appeared. She wore the swords of a samurai but no armor. The tattoo of a dragon wound up her neck and curled over her left eye. Her kimono was white with gold filigree which flickered like fish scales, even in the dim light of the fog-bound morning. A wry smile played across her pretty face.

  "This is Reiko, captain of the dragon boat," Yojiro said, indicating the samurai-ko.

  Shoju nodded in her direction, and the woman bowed.

  "I will see you safely on your journey," Reiko said.

  "Forgive my impudence, great lord," Bantaro said, "but the boat hardly seems big enough for all of us."

  Overhearing him, Reiko said, "Your guards will not be necessary. My lord Togashi Yokuni guarantees your safety. Your retinue may return to the base of the mountains and wait for you there."

  Yogo Junzo edged close to his daimyo and whispered, "If this were a trap, my lord ..."

  Shoju shook his head. "I have come to seek the advice of the Dragon. I will not insult him by refusing or doubting his hospitality."

  Junzo bowed. "As you wish, my lord."

  As the shugenja withdrew, Shoju turned back to the boat's captain. "My household and I will come aboard," he said, "along with those of our party who are necessary for our comfort."

  Reiko nodded. "At your leisure, my lord," she said, bowing low.

  By late morning, the Scorpion had loa
ded all his necessary people and equipment onto the dragon boat. Tetsuo went with him, as did Kachiko and a number of their servants. Yojiro accompanied the Scorpion daimyo as well.

  Bantaro complained bitterly about being left behind, or as bitterly as he dared in the presence of his lord. Shoju quelled his complaints by arranging with Reiko that, when he and the others returned, the dragon boat would take them as far as the Soshi castle. That way, the Scorpion retinue could wait in the comfort and security of Bantaro's home rather than camping under the watchful eye of the Lion.

  "I will return to my studies and excavations, great lord," Yogo Junzo said, "and I will rest easier knowing you are so well guarded now." He glanced at the older shugenja as he said it.

  Bantaro merely folded his arms over his chest and snorted at the suggestion.

  Shoju nodded. "I hope your studies prove enlightening."

  Junzo bowed. "They already have, my lord."

  When all the preparations had been made, the dragon ship cast off. It made a leisurely turn in the river and headed upstream toward the lands of the Dragon.

  The boat moved swiftly up the River of Gold. Tattooed samurai pulled on her oars with patient regularity, never complaining. Standing on the deck, the Scorpion daimyo's company watched the rest of their party quickly recede into the fog.

  "This boat almost seems to be flying," said Tetsuo, leaning on the gunwale and peering over the side.

  The comment brought a smile to the captain's lips. "How do you know that we are not, young samurai?" Reiko said.

  The Scorpion daimyo watched as the water swirled around the bow of the ship. He thought of the tides and eddies in his own life. The battle to save Rokugan would be like piloting this boat upriver—difficult, but it could be accomplished with willpower and enough strong men.

  Kachiko stood beside him, but they did not touch, nor did they look at each other. Finally she broke the silence. "What we do is right."

  He nodded. "We shall see," he said.

  The journey from the base of the mountains to the Castle of the Dragon would take the better part of five days. On the second day, they left the placid River of Gold and rowed into Oboreshinu Boekisho Kawa, the Drowned Merchant River. Despite the legend that gave the river its name, none in the Scorpion company saw any ghosts in the river's slow waters.

  Not long after they entered the Drowned Merchant River, though, the ship turned north onto a rapidly running side water. Tattooed Dragon warriors from the Mirumoto family stood guard at the river's head. Shoju consulted his traveling papers but could find no sign of the river on his maps.

  Behind his mask, the brow of the Scorpion lord furrowed. "This is odd," he said quietly.

  Yojiro stepped forward. "I found no trace of it either," he said, seeing his lord's confusion. "Yet, when I rode my steed to this point, there it was—with guards indicating the way to the hidden palace. The ship met me part way. I never got to the castle itself. I've heard, though, that all roads lead to Kyuden Togashi."

  Shoju nodded. "The power of the Dragon is great indeed."

  The Scorpions saw many wondrous sites after entering the lands of the Dragon. Strange rock formations sprouted up out of the river, looking like the heads of giants or the backs of sea monsters. Some resembled the tops of sunken palaces or the castles of an unknown race of rock-men. The trees that topped these stone outcroppings were dwarfed and twisted into intriguing shapes.

  Shoju didn't like them; they reminded him of his own deformity. He found himself unconsciously rubbing his right arm whenever the ship passed one. Kachiko noticed it too.

  At night the retinue slept under a pavilion erected on the deck of the ship. In the morning the silk walls of the pavilion were rolled up so the visitors could see the countryside.

  Tetsuo struck up a friendship with Captain Reiko, despite a slight difference in their ages. Yojiro seemed to know the ship's mistress well already. The three of them often stood conversing together on the afterdeck.

  Behind his mask, the Scorpion smiled. Friends were good. Friends told you secrets. Secrets were the Scorpions' stock in trade. What one Scorpion knew, Bayushi Shoju knew.

  Next morning, the character of the hidden river changed. The ship followed a wilder, more rugged course as the waterway led deep into the mountains. The tattooed samurai at the oars had to work harder to make the same progress, but still they never complained. Reiko gave them no words of encouragement or condemnation; she merely expected them to do their best—which was only right.

  As the samurai pulled, the lady captain steered her ship around rocky shoals and dangerous eddies. The dragon boat handled lightly on the water and traversed the most difficult rapids with ease.

  "Even were this river not hidden," Kachiko said, "an enemy would have trouble navigating it."

  Shoju merely nodded.

  In the middle of the fifth day, the great ship rounded a bend and came within sight of the Dragon palace. The castle rose out of the mountain mists like a mirage, shining gold and white, as if a piece of the sun had come down to the ground. Its walls sprang up from the living rocks and seemed almost a part of them. The Dragon castle looked grown rather than built. The swift-flowing river ran from a huge carved gate in the cliff side. Reiko steered directly toward the gate.

  Few people were permitted to glimpse the heart of Dragon country. In his heart of hearts, Shoju felt honored to see it. This particular mission, though, afforded little time for such enjoyment.

  As the boat drew up to the great gates, Kachiko stole to his side. She surreptitiously squeezed his left hand in a rare public display of affection. "This is only fitting to be his home, this pillar in the clouds," she said.

  Shoju nodded his agreement. "A suitable home for a Dragon."

  The great outer gates of the castle rolled back on their massive hinges. The dragon boat surged forward as if eager to be home. It sailed into a small lagoon within the walls of the fortress. A dock of ivory and gold awaited them, and Reiko expertly steered to it.

  Thus, Bayushi Shoju and his people entered Kyuden Togashi, the palace of the Dragon, only twenty days after they had left Kyuden Bayushi.

  xxxxxxxx

  Great pomp and ceremony accompanied the Scorpion's visit. Shoju and his retinue were greeted at the dock by Togashi Hoshi, son of the Dragon daimyo. Hoshi did not come undisguised, of course, but appeared as a well-dressed advisor to the Dragon lord. Shoju and Kachijo recognized him nonetheless, and realized the honor that was being done them. The blood of the Scorpion ran through Hoshi's veins as well as the blood of his Dragon father. His mother had been a Scorpion—and though Hoshi never paid call on the clan of his long-dead mother, it still pleased the Scorpion lord and lady to see him.

  If the Dragon's son felt any of this fellow feeling, he gave no sign. Instead, the greetings between the "lost child" and his mother's clan were very formal. Long ceremonies followed.

  The afternoon drifted into evening. Dusk set the skies around the Dragon casde afire, turning the clouds to gold and silver.

  Bayushi Shoju admired the sights and elaborate ceremonies used to greet him. Even so, his Scorpion senses told him the Dragons were not comfortable with Scorpions in their midst. Even Hoshi showed it, though he hid it well. Behind his bright, formal greeting mask, the Scorpion smiled. If even the Dragons feared the secrets of the Scorpion, his people had done their jobs well.

  The ceremonies lasted past dusk and threatened to stretch well into the night. The attention of Tetsuo and some of the young retainers flagged. Finally, near midnight, Hoshi rose from his seat.

  "The Great Lord Togashi Yokuni will see you now," he said.

  Shoju and Kachiko rose from their honored spots on the great hall's tatami.

  Hoshi stepped forward and said, "My lord will see his brother, the lord of the Scorpion ... and no one else."

  Though the fire of resentment burned in her belly, Kachiko bowed. When Hoshi bowed in return, she smiled her most winning smile at the Dragon heir. Hoshi looked awa
y from her, and Kachiko felt the fire die down.

  Hoshi motioned for Shoju to follow him. They walked to the back of the assembly room. A great wooden door stood there, sealed with a huge bar of sinuously carved gold and silver. The door was easily thirty feet tall and, like its bolt, had been carved with mystic symbols and draconian shapes.

  As the Scorpion and the son of the Dragon approached, the bar slid back and the massive door opened of its own accord. Beyond the portal a huge stone staircase stretched up into the darkness.

  Hoshi stopped at the threshold, bowed, and motioned for Shoju to enter. "My master awaits," the Dragon's son said.

  Shoju nodded and set his foot on the step that led to the inner sanctum of the Dragon. As he entered, the great door swung shut behind him.

  Shoju's withered arm twinged slightly as he heard the bolt slide into place. He traced the design of the tattoo with his left fingers, and the pain subsided. Custom had forced him to leave his swords in the reception chamber, and only his status as daimyo had allowed him to carry them that far. All other swords had been left at the first door of the castle.

  Still, Shoju wished he had them now. The katana and wak-izashi would do him no good, but he longed for them nonetheless. For all his power, the Scorpion felt naked within this place.

  Slowly he climbed the huge steps. They seemed to have been built more for the stature of a god than that of a man. As Shoju went, his eyes adjusted to the darkness. The walls and stairs were formed out of the living rock itself. No carvings or decorations adorned this passageway to the inner chamber. None were needed. The scale of the place alone was enough to inspire respect. The ceiling was lost in darkness above.

  Eventually the long staircase ended, and Shoju found himself standing on a broad, flat platform. Bright stars spread overhead. He wondered when he had come outside—if, indeed, he was outside. The stars moved, slowly, but far more perceptibly than they did in the night sky of Rokugan.

  As he watched the stars turn, Shoju suddenly realized he was not alone.

  "Welcome to our home, Bayushi Shoju, lord of the Scorpion," said a deep voice from Shoju's left.